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There’s a lot of nostalgia for the 1950’s – early rock and roll music, bobby-soxer fashions, classic cars and those amazing poses and make-up and hairstyles of the pin-up era.

'Pin-ups' being those glamour or fashion models and actresses whose mass-produced pictures were pinned up on walls and drew wide appeal as part of the popular culture at that time – think Betty Grable, or the much saucier Bettie Page!

It's a look you'll often see today at classic car shows, roller derby matches, old time rock and roll dances and vintage clothing displays.

And it's something you can compete in on an international level!

The current Pin Up Doll Australia title-holder comes from Bendigo, her name is Laura Maywood – known as Bettie B Goode – and she’s preparing to compete as a “Miss Pin Up International 2016” finalist in London in September.

ABC Central Victoria's Fiona Parker met her recently, and after some very important discussion about the dress Laura was wearing (see photo), they delved much further into the world of the modern day 'pin up'.

Nationals Senator Bridget McKenzie has long been described "Bendigo-based", and has an office in the prominent location of Bendigo's Hargreaves Mall.

Many locals were surprised, then, by recent revelations in the Fairfax press, that McKenzie has never lived in Bendigo and in fact currently lives in the inner-city leafy Melbourne suburb of Elwood, where she purchased a flat in 2014.

My love affair with books began at a young age, with those Little Golden Books, fairytale compendiums and Enid Blyton adventures like The Children of Cherry Tree Farm. They taught me to read, and to appreciate words and writing, and that while there is a much wider world out there to explore, there’s also an amazing inner world of imagination to be enjoyed.

As I got older and my tastes changed, I’ll admit to a few long-term flings with The Famous Five, Trixie Belden (girl detective!), and Raymond E. Feist’s Riftwars series amidst a flurry of new and exciting books borrowed from the library or friends, or purchased with all my preciously-saved pocket money. By now I was obsessed and not very discerning with my choices.

My parents almost staged an intervention once when the number of books on my bedroom shelves (and the floor, in the wardrobe, under the bed, scattered around the house) became a safety issue for the family, but also an indication that I was spending more time with my book friends than actual people friends. I can’t recall how or when I met most of the people in my life, but I still fondly remember finding Joseph Heller’s Catch 22 in the school library and feeling like a grown up when I completed it, or when I read Shakespeare’s comedy Much Ado About Nothing simply for the joy of it and not because it was on the set list for school.

It was when reading became a major part of my final schooling years, university and then a job in the media that my love for books started to wane a little. Less time, less inclination to read for pleasure became an affliction that I confess may have been helped along by my growing love for film and television. Soon I was only reading a book here and there while on holiday, or using public transport – a little David Sedaris, Sophie Kinsella or Toni Jordan to get me through.

In the last year or so I’ve somehow become transfixed with biographies – and not just that, they have to be amusing bios like The Family Law (Benjamin Law), Bossypants (Tina Fey) or Yes Please! (Amy Poehler) – which is fun and safe, but limiting. And then the Bendigo Library’s Blind Date with a Book program came onto my radar and stuck in my head until I wandered in this week and set myself up with an anonymous book covered in a brown paper bag.

I was hoping perhaps, that the act of choosing a random book and ‘giving it a go’ would catapult me back into that giddy happiness I’d once found in the pages of a novel. My first impression however, was a bit hesitant – I knew the author’s name of course, I knew without having to read the label on the front cover that her books have become the basis of a very popular television series which I have never seen – but my experience with vampire stories has never been good (Anne Rice, Stephenie Meyer, I’m looking at you).

Happily, this particular book by Charlaine Harris wasn’t one from the Sookie Stackhouse stable; no vampires but it does promise mystery and the supernatural. So, trying desperately not to literally judge a book by its cover, I opened the novel with what I thought was an open heart. A good indication that I wasn’t immediately hitting it off with this one was how easily distracted I became, and sadly within a few pages Midnight Crossroad was set aside to do the dishes, watch The Weekly on TV, and finally just some aimless flitting around on Facebook and Twitter.

Like a date who just talks endlessly about themselves, all the boring day to day details of their life, I couldn’t get past the initial set-up of the story, the dense detail of this world the author has to set up for the real story to begin. It was like fixating on that one thing your date has – an annoying nasal tone, a distracting tic, a penchant for casual racism – and not being able to imagine spending more time with them just because of that one thing, so why not just cut and run now?

I realise of course I was too quick to make a judgement, I haven’t really given the book a chance and I need to make more of an effort, but at my age it’s really hard to put yourself out there when your time is already so precious. Who wants to commit to a relationship that is likely to go nowhere? I will complete this particular blind date grudgingly, but I suspect there won’t be a second date with this author. It's not her, she has millions of fans, it's definitely me.

If nothing else at least this exercise took me back to the library after years of sitting on the shelf, and like fish in the sea, there are plenty of other books in the library for me to pursue. Maybe I’ll find true love again, maybe I’ll be let down, but at least that feeling of hope is back and reading for pleasure is again part of my life.

It takes a lot of time and dedication to become one of the best in your field, and Melbourne-based drummer David Jones has achieved that level.

Aside from performing, David is keen to teach the next generation of musicians, and one local Bendigo lad is keen to learn as much as he can from the master.

Ollie Cox is heading off to study music at the Victorian College of the Arts this year, and having seen David perform last year was keen to bring him the region for other local musicians to be as inspired as he was.

He's helped organise a performance and workshop with David at Girton Grammar's Black Box Theatre on February 19.

Both drummers, recently joined presenter Fiona Parker for a conversation about the art of drumming with their two different, yet surprisingly similar, perspectives.

Ever since the introduction of television, and more recently the popularity of digital, downloadable podcasts, people have been predicting the death of radio, but it's still going strong, still finding an audience in 2016.

Community radio is one of the true grassroots avenues for community members to learn more about and voice the issues that concern them the most.

It's also a great place for people to share their own personal passions with others, be it country or classical music, local history, sporting endeavours, or community news.

Castlemaine's Ian Braybrook (pictured) has spent a good 35 years in community radio, at stations like KLFM, WMAfm and 3CCC, and published a book recently covering some of that time and experience in a world he's loved since he was a young fella listening to the 'wireless'.

That includes a series of faked outside broadcasts, and travels around the region in a Sopwith Camel!

He sat down with ABC Central Victoria's Jo Printz to recall some of those experiences, which you can hear by clicking below:

While it might be regarded as a bit of a hidden gem of northern Victoria, plenty of bushlovers, campers and paddlers know Gunbower and Koondrook well.

So recent works in the area by the Department of Environment, Land, Water and Planning will be appreciated by those in the know about this beautiful natural environment, and hopefully attract more visitors to the region.

New floating site markers (pictured) will help paddlers navigate the Gunbower Island Canoe Trail, which is just off the Gunbower Creek in Safe's Lagoon and takes about two hours to complete.

While upgrades to the Island's launching jetty, signage, walking tracks, the footbridge on the Koondrook Red Gum Forest Walking Track and a new toilet block at the Twin Bridges camping area will only add to a pleasant experience in the popular State forest.

Listen to DELWP Murray Goldfields District Forest and Operations Manager Tim Wishart discuss the canoe trail and other features of the area by clicking below:

Those campaigning for the station say that all parties have agreed that Wedderburn should have an ambulance station, but they say that that state government is moving too slowly.

State Health Minister Jill Hennessy declined an interview. Her spokesperson released a statement saying "we are working to improve response times," and "we look forward to announcing more plans to improve Victoria's ambulance services soon."

Meanwhile, on ABC Central Victoria, local Liberal member Louise Staley committed a future Coalition government to building an ambulance station in the town.

Larissa Romensky hit the streets of Wedderburn to find out whether locals think an ambulance station should be a priority for government funding.

There are so many myths surrounding the art of composting - what you can and can't throw into the mix, how often you should turn it, how much and when you should be using it on the garden - let's bust some of those ideas and beliefs right now.

Former Gardening Australia TV host, and owner of Dicksonia Rare Plants in Macedon, Stephen Ryan dropped in recently to take us through everything we need to know about composting.

He's not one for making any job in the garden more difficult than it needs to be, so you might get some good advice for the next time you're sorting all your organic waste into non-compost and pro-composting categories!

At a time when sports and being active is very important to try and improve Australia's increasingly sedentary lifestyles and growing obesity rates, particularly where our children are concerned, you'd think more funding would be available for grassroots clubs and organisations.

It is however, still a struggle for many local sports groups to cover their costs, even when the sport may be among the most popular activities in the country, or a proven pathway to reaching the higher, elite levels of the sport.

The Australian Sports Foundation can help with this - they are the only sports body that can offer tax-deductibility to registered clubs and organisations, and CEO Patrick Walker was in Bendigo recently to spread the word.

Listen to his conversation with breakfast presenter Jo Printz by clicking below:

Spring is the nesting season for eastern long neck and Murray turtles, and it's the most dangerous time for the females and their eggs as foxes sniff them out as a food source in the most popular nesting areas.

While a shooting program has helped lessen the number of foxes along the Murray and the lagoons of the Gunbower Forest, baiting has proven ineffective, so this year the North Central Catchment Management Authority is trying something different.

Over the next couple of months they'll be trialling a 'fox deterrent light' and monitoring the impact it has on both fox and turtle numbers in the region. The lights act like a scarecrow version of a spotlighter, emitting high-powered flickering lights that can be seen from more than a kilometre away.

So the very clever foxes are fooled into thinking there are people nearby with their spotlights, which is usually accompanied by shooting, and thus avoid going near that area.

Listen here to Adrian Martins from the North Central CMA, discussing the trial and the current state of the turtle population in northern Victoria:

Since it's official opening on April 17, tens of thousands of people have visited Bendigo's new state-of-the-art theatre - Ulumbarra - but only a few of the general public have gotten to see behind the scenes.

For example, did you know that Ulumbarra has one of the largest laundries of all the theatres across the State? Something each production company's wardrobe department gets very excited about!

The theatre evolves from within what was once the Sandhurst Gaol, which the project architects have been very mindful of throughout the entire development of the site.

Business Development Manager David Stretch (pictured in the balcony space with part of the old Gaol's exterior on display behind him) says it's a very positive, exciting and dramatic space to be in, and so important to tell the story of what was once here.

The architects have created a unique fusion of 1860's penitentiary architecture and clever contemporary design to construct an extraordinary arts and community facility.

The theatre's auditorium seems huge, with a capacity of nearly 1000 seats - by comparison, the city's Capital Theatre seats just under 500 people - but the depth of the seating is almost deceptively the same as the iconic Capital.

Behind the stage is an extensive network of green rooms and storage spaces while the stage itself boasts a state-of-the-art fly system and large orchestra pit.

As well as three front of house lighting bridges up the back.

Ben van Dillen, Head - Technical at Capital Venues and Events (pictured on stage) is originally from Bendigo and heard about the project while working overseas.

It drew him back to live and work in the region, and he says it's a real asset for the community.

Importantly, the building has adjoining studio space and rooms equipped to hold meetings and conferences besides the expected theatrical, musical and dance events, and is a learning space for the secondary college next door.

Indeed Bendigo Senior Secondary College runs the al fresco cafe that forms part of the complex, which also operates as Ulumbarra Theatre's catering service, and the school has started holding their first graduation ceremonies in the theatre this year.

It's always nice to see fresh faces in the studio when you present a breakfast program, and it was a real pleasure to have Bendigo Spirit coach Simon Pritchard and U.S import Joy Burke join us this morning ahead of their first WNBL home game for the 2015-16 season.

Simon has taken over the coaching reins after a difficult period of contract negotiations with the Spirit's founding coach Bernie Harrower, and there's no doubting his enthusiasm for this team and his overall passion for the game.

Joy most recently played for Chinese Taipei in the FIBA Asia Championships (she lived in Taiwan for 12 years before moving to the States) and did a season in Denmark playing for the Horsholm 79ers after graduating from Arizona State University.

She's only been in the country for about a month, but says it's been an easy transition, although Bendigo and country Victoria is all she's had a chance to see so far.

That and a tiny bit of Queensland, with their first round matches last week against South East Queensland and 2014-15 champions Townsville. The Spirit went down to the SEQ Stars 63-80 but nabbed a 72-64 win against Townsville, which should give them a nice boost early in the season.

You can hear Simon and Joy speaking with Breakfast presenter Jo Printz, starting with the unexpected first round results, by clicking below:

With Bendigo becoming a battle-ground for anti-Muslim sentiment and counter anti-discrimination campaigns over the last few months, it was interesting to speak with Andrew Markus - research professor at Monash University and coordinator of Australia@2015 - about some of the issues around social cohesion and democracy.

Most of us would agree that Australia is a great place to live.

We all realize how lucky we are to live in a free country, relatively untouched by war or terrorism or a tyrannical government.

Many immigrants and refugees living here know this too, because of the completely different experience they've left behind in their country of origin.

There are however, clearly some people in the community who aren't happy with how Australia is changing, how the government is functioning, and how that impacts on their perceived rights.

Monash University and the Scanlon Foundation are researching Australian attitudes towards issues like citizenship, confidence in government, the media and discrimination, and they want to capture views from a broad cross section of the community.

They're doing this through an online survey (which you can fill in), but first take a listen to Professor Markus explaining more about their research here:

Professor Markus will be one of the guest speakers at the Multiculturalism in Bendigo Breakfast Forum on Monday 19 October, which the City of Greater Bendigo is hosting to inform the community about the development of their Cultural Diversity and Inclusion Plan.

(pictures - Believe in Bendigo community family day, 2015 / Grandmothers against children in detention Bendigo protest, 2015)

Each year on average, around 10,000 people are subject to compulsory mental health treatment in Victoria.

That might involve detention in a hospital ward and being given medication or treatment that they don't agree to, but mental health patients in that situation do have rights and their preferences and decisions about treatment options should be respected.

A new service in the Loddon Campaspe region will be able to provide support for local people in those circumstances, it's called Independent Mental Health Advocacy (IMHA).

IMHA senior advocate Liz Carr says 'compulsory treatment can be isolating, lonely and often frightening experience ...we are on the side of these people, listening to them, helping them understand their rights and options, and supporting them to speak up.'

People who are receiving compulsory treatment and would like support, or anyone wanting to get support for another person in that situation can call the IMHA on 1300 947 820 between 9.30 am and 4.30 pm weekdays, or email contact@imha.vic.gov.au